It's never been more exciting to be involved in photography than it is these days with so many photographers and writers creating great content to publish. This list is compiled by Toad Hollow Photography and features tutorials, special features and great photography from a wide range of people active in the field. We really hope you enjoy checking out these links as much as the Toad did himself in bringing this list to you.
TUTORIALS
What Are The Golden And Blue Hours and How Do They Help Photographers? – these questions come up a lot for people looking to take their photography to a new level by taking advantage of specific times of day for natural light. Dzvonko Petrovski shares a great article in this post, covering both types of light and sharing a set of stunning sample photos.
Tip: Get Low When Photographing Birds in Water – the tips shared in this article are terrific when applied, producing photographs of birds in their natural environs that pop out of the screen to life. Composition is heavily reliant on perspective for many genres of photography, and the sample shots included in this post are both wonderful and informative.
Improving Your Street Technique – this is a great article that goes into a fair amount of depth in regards to improving your street photography practice. All the key elements of what goes into a great candid street shot are covered in this piece, along with great sample images showcasing the power and effect this type of shot can deliver.
How to Improve Your Photography by Shooting Black and White – this brief but inspiring blog post discusses the importance of shooting in black-and-white to expand your photography repertoire. A selection of great photographs are included in the post to highlight the underlying point being discussed, showing you exactly why this technique can really help with composition and light.
8 Tips for Any Photographer Using Any Camera – eight simple yet very effective tips for creating amazing photography are shared in this article. Light and composition are discussed, simplifying the overall concepts to help everyone grasp them, and the entire discussion is highlighted by sample photos to help you visualize the key points.
How to Grow a Large Instagram Following as a Professional Photographer with Very Little Effort – there are some great real world tips in this article that are designed to help you grow your Instagram following. Branding is key in this space, and networking proves to be an important ingredient in jumpstarting your list of followers.
Erik Drost
Photoshop in 60 Seconds: Content Aware Fill in Practice – one brief minute is all it takes to view this video and learn about how to use the Content Aware Fill feature in Photoshop. This very powerful feature allows you to remove unwanted items from a frame, helping to create the image you envisioned by taking out elements that don’t work with the composition.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Callum Snape's frozen bubbles an Instagram hit – this great article on CBC not only shares a set of really incredible photographs from a very popular photographer on Instagram, it also shares a bit of his story and voyage. There is much inspiration to be found within the message Callum Snape parlays, showing us all that you just never know what resonates with a crowd.
Straight from the fairytale…I mean Norway – a stunning series of photographs is posted in this piece, showcasing all sorts of wonderful beauty that is found in the magical land of Norway. Stave Churches, epic landscapes, brilliant colors and untold things of interest all await the engaged fan of photography.
GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY
Blue Hour Bus – a great shot from the studio of Christopher Wray features an old abandoned skeleton of a school bus lying in the middle of nowhere. Lit from inside, it creates a really interesting subject contrasted against the surroundings it finds itself resting in.
Cab-over Dodge – Michael Criswell shares a great pair of black-and-white shots featuring an old rusty Dodge truck on display in a field. Michael’s post-production of these images highlights the textures and drama found in the rusty remains, making for a pair of compelling shots.
Keep Six° – taken from street level, the perspective this shot shares is dramatic and visually interesting. Uncle Drew’s photo shows a police cruiser on the corner, with the incredible architecture of New York City in the backdrop to lead the viewer into the frame. The reflection in a puddle near the front of the picture finishes it off just perfectly.
pilings in the mist . . . – with the winter season in full swing up here on the west coast of Canada, we find many a day where the mist and fog is prevalent. This can add wonderful mood to a shot, as shown in this great photograph by ƊƦคƓ๏ƝŦlץƊгєคɱʂ88 that features a set of wood pilings ensconced in a foggy environment.
look down on city (301m) – a vertigo inducing perspective pops to life on our screens in this tremendous image from Yangwoo Kim taken high atop a skyscraper looking straight down. Vibrant colors from the lights and details in the city’s architecture are highlighted, revealing a view that is sure to have you scrambling for your escape parachute.
Blue Steel – Brad Truxell takes advantage of a wonderful leading line that guides the viewer into an infinite vanishing point in this shot. Using the road on a bridge as a frame, Brad captures a highly dynamic scene with light trails, with the city of Pittsburgh peering out from the open sides of the bridge to add a great element to the picture.
Snowy !! – this beautiful Snowy Owl appears ready for liftoff in this wonderful photograph from Philippe DE-BRUYNE. The delightful character of the bird jumps out at the viewer in this shot, revealing a scene that looks like the owl is dancing for joy.
Tuncay
15 – this terrific black-and-white shot features a person with their dog walking on a beach, coming across an opening that occurs between two buildings. Dave Wares great shot takes advantage of the natural drama created in a monochromatic image, and is accented by the great artistic tension found in the person in the frame.
Coyote Gulch – this shot has it all going on; terrific reflections, perfect framing, a well balanced exposure, it all comes together in great harmony here. Dustin LeFevre’s image uses a natural rock formation to create a frame that does a great job of leading the viewer into the picture and out on a journey of discovery.
The Troubadour – Anita Megyesi delivers a terrific still life piece that features a colorful chair with a hat, a guitar and some fruit carefully place on it. Great light creates great shadows in this shot, adding a fabulous touch and making this a very compelling shot to view and enjoy.
Rainy Day Friends – Jake Olson Studios does it yet again, this time sharing a Rockwell feeling shot that features a little boy in a bright yellow rainsuit playing on a wet surface with his two yellow duckling friends. To call this shot quintessentially cute doesn’t begin to do it justice, this is a must-see shot for those who love the heartwarming.
Spadina House – The Backyard – Edith Levy’s shot is of an architectural study of a wonderful old manor type house. Colorful leaves cover the yard that leads up to the grand old house that features very dramatic features, showcasing the grandeur and drama of this type of building in its natural setting.
Reflections of Dordrecht II – see the wonderful canals of Holland in this terrific photograph from Herman van den Berge taken just before the magic blue hour. The canals themselves cast terrific reflections of the character architecture that lines the banks, revealing so much to those who spend time on the finer details in the picture.
New York by night – this post by Jim Nix shares a collection of photographs taken in New York City at night. Jim’s set of shots covers a wide variety of subjects, really showcasing the dynamic and vibrant nature of this city that is known to never sleep at night.
Nugush Snake – a winding wake follows a speed boat in this elevated perspective shot by Konstantin Tsibin that showcases the ability of nature to create abstract art. As the sun’s light reflects in the waves, it creates a wonderful pattern that draws the eye into the picture.
Alan Levine
Sombrio – Joseph de Lange shares a great set of photographs taken on the extreme west coast of Canada on Vancouver Island. This selection of images captures the raw essence and dramatic nature of this part of Canada with a focus on the ocean and beaches that at times appear to go on forever.
With the Lights Out – the Milky Way dances high above the landscape in this compelling photograph from Michael Bollino taken during night time under a dynamic sky. Jagged mountains appear to reach for the very heavens, and a soft and silky reflection in the waters below add a perfect element to finish the piece off.
Iceland: Kirkjufellsfoss Waterfall – Anne McKinnell takes us along as she explores the dramatic landscapes found in Iceland. This post features a pair of photographs of an incredible waterfall, composing both shots to take advantage of the rugged mountains that cover the country and adding a terrific element to the dynamic nature of the falls themselves.
Nightfall over Lauenburg – Oliver Busch delivers a stunning shot, formatted in a panoramic format to accent the breadth of the scene captured. As nightfall gently settles in over the wonderful community that sits on the shores, the lights from the buildings and the incredible details in the architecture merge perfectly.
Chinook Destination – Rearguard Falls Provincial Park, British Columbia – the epic and majestic beauty found in the Canadian Rockies comes to life in this great photograph from Len Saltiel. This shot was taken from near Mount Robson, one of the landmarks of the park, and showcases the incredible beauty of nature as a river rages through a dense forested area.
By The Light Of The Moon – Vancouver Island photographer Randy Hall captures a stunning piece with a bit of a haunting aspect to it. The incredible scenery of the island creates a perfect silhouette against the deep colors in the sky from the moon as it’s hues reflect over the waters, creating a compelling and alluring piece to view and enjoy.
